Background: Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994; conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397 Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814 Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). In 1949 Norway abandoned neutrality and became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994 Norway rejected joining the EU. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities maintaining the country's extensive social safety net with an aging population and preserving economic competitiveness.

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N 10 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 323,802 km²
Land: 304,282 km²
Water: 19,520 km²
Rank: 68
Comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries
Total: 2,566 km
Border countries: (3) Finland 709 km; Sweden 1666 km; Russia 191 km

Coastline: 25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km as well as long fjords numerous small islands and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island coastlines 58,133 km)

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 10 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate: temperate along coast modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast

Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas iron ore copper lead zinc titanium pyrites nickel fish timber hydropower

Land use
Agricultural land: 2.7%
Forest: 27.8%
Other: 69.5%

Irrigated land: 1149 km² (2007)

Total renewable water resources: 382 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: rockslides avalanches
Volcanism: Beerenberg on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano

Geography
Note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much-indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of the most rugged and longest coastlines in the world

Population: 5,207,689 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 121
Growth rate: 1.13% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 108
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Norwegian
Adjective: Norwegian

Ethnic groups: Norwegian 94.4% (includes Sami about 60,000) other European 3.6% other 2% (2007 est.)

Languages: Bokmal Norwegian (official) Nynorsk Norwegian (official) small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Note: Sami is an official language in nine municipalities

Religions: Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran - official) 82.1% other Christian 3.9% Muslim 2.3% Roman Catholic 1.8% other 2.4% unspecified 7.5% (2011 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 18.08%
15-24 years: 12.99%
25-54 years: 40.91%
55-64 years: 11.69%
65 years and over: 16.32% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 52.2%
Youth dependency ratio: 27.3%
Elderly dependency ratio: 24.9%
Potential support ratio: 4%

Median age
Total: 39.1 years
Male: 38.3 years
Female: 39.9 years

Population growth rate: 1.13% (2015 est.)
Rank: 108

Birth rate: 12.14 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 163

Death rate: 8.12 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 95

Net migration rate: 7.25 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 16

Urbanization
Urban population: 80.5% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.35% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: OSLO (capital) 986,000 (2015)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions
International agreements party to: Air Pollution Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Air Pollution-Sulfur 85 Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds Antarctic-Environmental Protocol Antarctic-Marine Living Resources Antarctic Seals Antarctic Treaty Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Environmental Modification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Tropical Timber 83 Tropical Timber 94 Wetlands Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male/female
15-24 years: 1.06 male/female
25-54 years: 1.06 male/female
55-64 years: 1.02 male/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male/female
Total population: 1.01 male/female

Infant mortality rate
Total: 2.48 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 2.79 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 2.16 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 220

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 81.7 years
Male: 79.7 years
Female: 83.81 years
Rank: 20

Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 145

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 88.4%
Note: percent of women aged 20-44

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 4.28 physicians/1000 population (2012)

Hospital bed density: 3.3 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.15% (2014 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 105
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: less than 100 (2014 est.)
Deaths rank: 112

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 24.8% (2014)
Rank: 84

Education expenditures: 6.6% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 21

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 17 years
Male: 17 years
Female: 18 years

Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
Conventional short form: Norway
Local long form: Kongeriket Norge
Local short form: Norge

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital
Name: Oslo
Geographic coordinates: 59 55 N 10 45 E
Time difference: UTC+1
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 19 counties (fylker singular - fylke); Akershus Aust-Agder Buskerud Finnmark Hedmark Hordaland More og Romsdal Nordland Nord-Trondelag Oppland Oslo Ostfold Rogaland Sogn og Fjordane Sor-Trondelag Telemark Troms Vest-Agder Vestfold

Dependent areas: (1) Bouvet Island Jan Mayen Svalbard

Independence: 7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)

National holiday: Constitution Day 17 May (1814)

Constitution: drafted spring 1814 adopted 16 May 1814 signed by Constituent Assembly 17 May 1814; amended many times last in 2014 (2015)

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil common and customary law; Supreme Court can advise on legislative acts

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King HARALD V ; Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973)
Head of government: Prime Minister Erna SOLBERG
Cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch approved by Parliament
Electionsappointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following parliamentary elections the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the parliament

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament or Storting
Elections: last held on 9 September 2013
Election results: percent of vote by party - Ap 30.8% H 26.3% FrP 16.3% KrF 5.6% Sp 5.5% V 5.2% SV 4.1% MDG 2.8 other 2.7%; seats by party - Ap 55 H 48 FrP 29 Sp 10 KrF 10 V 9 SV 7 MDG 1

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett
Judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the monarch upon the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Board; justice retirement mandatory at age 70
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal or Lagmensrett; regional and district courts; Conciliation Boards; ordinary and special courts; note - in addition to professionally trained judges elected lay judges sit on the bench with professional judges in the Courts of Appeal and district courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member) AfDB (nonregional member) Arctic Council Australia Group BIS CBSS CD CE CERN EAPC EBRD EFTA EITI (implementing country) ESA FAO FATF IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICCt ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IGAD (partners) IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA MINUSMA NATO NC NEA NIB NSG OAS (observer) OECD OPCW OSCE Paris Club PCA Schengen Convention UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNITAR UNMISS UNRWA UNTSO UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kare Reidar AAS
In the us chancery: 2,720 34th Street NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 333-6,000
In the us FAX: [1] 459-3,990
In the us consulate general: Houston New York San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador ; Charge d'Affaires Julie FURUTA-TOY (since 27 September 2013)
From the us embassy: Henrik Ibsens gate 48 0244 Oslo; note - the embassy will move to Huseby in the near future
From the us mailing address: PSC 69 Box 1000 APO AE 9,707
From the us telephone: [47] 21-30-85-40
From the us FAX: [47] 22-44-33-63 22-56-27-51

Flag description: red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors recall Norway's past political unions with Denmark (red and white) and Sweden (blue)

National symbols: lion; national colors: red white blue

National anthem
Name: 'Ja vi elsker dette landet'
Lyrics and music: lyrics/music: Bjornstjerne BJORNSON/Rikard NORDRAAK
Note: adopted 1864; in addition to the national anthem 'Kongesangen' which uses the tune of 'God Save the Queen' serves as the royal anthem

Economy overview: The Norwegian economy is a prosperous mixed economy with a vibrant private sector a large state sector and an extensive social safety net. The government controls key areas such as the vital petroleum sector through extensive regulation and large-scale state-majority-owned enterprises. The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum hydropower fish forests and minerals - and is highly dependent on the petroleum sector which accounts for the largest portion of export revenue and about 30% of government revenue. Norway is the world's third-largest natural gas exporter; and seventh largest oil exporter making one of its largest offshore oil finds in 2011. Norway opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless as a member of the European Economic Area it contributes sizably to the EU budget. In anticipation of eventual declines in oil and gas production Norway saves state revenue from the petroleum sector in the world's largest sovereign wealth fund valued at over $870 billion in December 2014 and annually uses up to 4% of the fund it’s projected long term return to help finance public expenses. After solid GDP growth in 2004-07 the economy slowed in 2008 and contracted in 2009 before returning to positive growth in 2010-14. Nevertheless the government budget remains in surplus. Lower oil prices in 2015 may cause the economy to contract as higher costs production costs in the North Sea deter investment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 50

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 156

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 12

Gross national saving:
Rank: 15

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 41.1%
Government consumption: 21.3%
Investment in fixed capital: 22.3%
Investment in inventories: 3.8%
Exports of goods and services: 39%
Imports of goods and services: -27.6%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.7%
Industry: 41.8%
Services: 56.5%

Agriculture products: barley wheat potatoes; pork beef veal milk; fish

Industries: petroleum and gas shipping fishing aquaculture food processing shipbuilding pulp and paper products metals chemicals timber mining textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 0.8% (2014 est.)
Rank: 157

Labor force: 2.724 million (2014 est.)
Rank: 110
By occupation agriculture: 2.2%
By occupation industry: 20.2%
By occupation services: 77.6%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 28

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.9%
Highest 10: 21%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 135

Budget
Revenues: $294.3 billion
Expenditures: $230.5 billion
Surplus or deficit: 12.5% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 4

Taxes and other revenues: 57.5% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 5

Public debt:
Note: data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued by government entities other than the treasury; the data exclude treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds such as for retirement medical care and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Rank: 129

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 98

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 60

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 179

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 29

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 32

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 21

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 33

Current account balance:
Rank: 10

Exports:
Rank: 32
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products machinery and equipment metals chemicals ships fish
Partners: UK 22.9% Germany 16.9% Netherlands 12.9% France 6% Sweden 5.7% Belgium 4.8% (2014)

Imports:
Rank: 37
Commodities: machinery and equipment chemicals metals foodstuffs
Partners: Sweden 12.3% Germany 11.9% China 9.4% UK 6.5% US 6.2% Denmark 6.1% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $58.28 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 38

Debt external:
Note: Norway is a net external creditor
Rank: 19

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 21

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 20

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 134 billion kWh (2013 est.)
Production rank: 28
Consumption: 119.5 billion kWh (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 31
Exports: 15.14 billion kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 13
Imports: 10.21 billion kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 22
Installed generating capacity: 31.76 million kW (2011 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 27
Generation sources fossil fuels: 4.6% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 201
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 153
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 93.2% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 10
Generation sources other renewable sources: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 75

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 1.817 million bbl/day (2013 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 16
Crude oil exports: 1.303 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 14
Crude oil imports: 28,090 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 65
Crude oil proven reserves: 5.825 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 22

Refined petroleum
Products production: 328,700 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 41
Products consumption: 222,600 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 54
Products exports: 349,600 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products exports rank: 20
Products imports: 91,980 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 52

Natural gas
Production: 108.7 billion m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 8
Consumption: 5.94 billion m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 57
Exports: 102.8 billion m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 3
Imports: 2 million m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 75
Proven reserves: 2.09 trillion m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 18

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 41.06 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 68

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1.16 million
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22
Fixed lines rank: 72
Mobile cellular total: 5.9 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 115
Mobile cellular rank: 111

Telephone system
General assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
Domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of mobile-cellular systems
International: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; submarine cables provide links to other Nordic countries and Europe; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat NA Intelsat and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark Finland Iceland and Sweden) (2011)

Broadcast media: state-owned public radio-TV broadcaster operates 3 nationwide TV stations 3 nationwide radio stations and 16 regional radio stations; roughly a dozen privately owned television stations broadcast nationally and roughly another 25 local TV stations broadcasting; nearly 75% of households have access to multi-channel cable or satellite TV; 2 privately owned radio stations broadcast nationwide and another 240 stations operate locally (2008)

Internet
Country code: .no
Users total: 4.9 million
Users percent of population: 96.2%
Users rank: 70

Military expenditures:
Rank: 72

Military service age and obligation: 19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women; 1-year service obligation followed by 4-5 refresher training periods through ages 35-60 totalling 18 months (2012)

Airports: 95 (2013)
Rank: 61
With paved runways total: 67
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 14
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 10
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 22
With paved runways under 914 m: 21
With unpaved runways total: 28
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With unpaved runways: 22 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines: condensate 578 km; condensate/gas 220 km; gas 8,044 km; oil 3,794 km; oil/gas/water 457 km; water 96 km (2013)

Railways
Total: 4,250 km
Standard gauge: 4,250 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
Rank: 39

Roadways
Total: 93,870 km
Paved: 75,754 km
Unpaved: 18,116 km
Rank: 51

Waterways: 1577 km (2010)
Rank: 51

Merchant marine
Total: 585
By type: bulk carrier 55 cargo 105 carrier 5 chemical tanker 121 combination ore/oil 12 liquefied gas 47 passenger 3 passenger/cargo 121 petroleum tanker 54 refrigerated cargo 9 roll on/roll off 4 vehicle carrier 49
Foreign owned: 81
Registered in other countries: 974 (2010)
Rank: 19

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Bergen Haugesund Maaloy Mongstad Narvik Sture
LNG terminal:

Disputes international: Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); Denmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission; Norway and Russia signed a comprehensive maritime boundary agreement in 2010

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 8,901 (Somalia); 11,202 (Eritrea); 5,190 (Iraq); 5,454 (Afghanistan) (2014)
Stateless persons: 1997